Pick Up The Pace!
by macai1
Summary: In Harry's 7th year problems stir up between Sirius, Remus, and Severus. It doesn't help that Harry's being stalked everywhere he goes, and Hermione refuses to believe he's not seeing someone! What's up with Draco anyway? Is that Sirius' sister cackling i


Hello there! I'll keep this quick so you can get on with the story.  
  
Title: Pick up the Pace!   
  
Author: Macai  
  
Rating: Currently PG-13 for slight language and sexual implications.  
  
Summary: It's Harry's 7th year and all goes to hell when problems stir up between Sirius, Remus, and Severus. It also doesn't help that Harry's being stalked everywhere he goes, and Hermione refuses to believe he's not seeing someone! And what's up with Draco anyway? And is that Sirius' sister cackling in the background? Won't Voldemort just DIE?!  
  
Pairing: Completely and utterly subject to change. Tell me what you think.  
  
Harry/Draco Harry/Severus, Hermione/Ron,   
  
Sirius/Remus Sirius/Severus Severus/Remus.... you get the point.  
  
I don't do three-somes. Thanks ;)  
  
Date Started: 27/1/03  
  
1/?- Ongoing Series  
  
Disclaimer: The only things I can claim from this story are Kathy Karliana, Mary Lindstrom, a few random herb names, and my words. Every thing else belongs to J.K. Rowling and I'm not making any money. Dangit.  
  
Please forgive all grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes; I have no one to beta for me and am looking for volunteers.  
  
Chapter 1: Girls an' Herbs (Can't live with 'em, Can't live without 'em.)  
  
It was a regular day. That is to say, everything was going normal, as it always does. Except, for one particular thing that does not happen every so often... Harry Potter, a seventh-year at Hogwarts, the ideal wizard for witches all over the globe, was in Muggle England. Normally, he tired to avoid it because it was easier for his 'fangirls', as Ron called them, to catch him up. Yet, he had been asked by Sirius to go and fetch some of Mrs. Karliana's special herbs. Not that Harry minded, he did whatever he could to help his godfather. Who, by the way, was still on the run from the Ministry, as Voldemort and Wormtail STILL had not been defeated.   
  
Well, this time, Harry had decided he wasn't going to be overrun by women. It always made the other boys jealous, but to Harry it was a plague. He hated the fact that they said they loved him (he'd heard that a lot), but they didn't even know him. They loved the Boy-Who-Lived, not Harry Potter.   
  
Harry sighed and lowered the muggle baseball cap closer over his eyes, which were still a brilliant shade of emerald green. He was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, and yet the witches still seemed to be able to spot the simplest to the most complex concealing spells. This left Harry down to muggle alternatives. In other words, a make-shift disguise that had been approved by even Professor Snape. Then again, Professor Snape was not a lusting witch. 'Let us hope,' Harry thought, snickering.  
  
He glanced around quickly, before striding quickly out into the marketing plaza. Harry had been to Kathy Karliana's herb shop before. It was disguised to look like a flower vending store, and had rows of crocus, roses, and daffodils in the numerous windows. Kathy was hiding out from the Ministry, like Sirius. She was his sister, actually, and had refused the Ministry information. The woman was a near-squib, and hadn't been accepted into any of the wizarding schools besides a small one called Sandar Arts, in Ireland. It didn't even have world-wide acceptance, as many people had decided it wasn't even a school, but Kathy had gotten a hold of her wand and never let go. She had a very weak magical ability, but more knowledge than nearly anyone Harry knew. He'd decided she had tried to balance out her lack of skill by studying furiously. However, the woman never reminded him of Hermione, oddly.  
  
She would have been the world's expert on Herbology, had she not proclaimed Sirius' innocence and downcast the Ministry of Magic in public. They had tried to do away with her by arresting her on heracy, which, of course, didn't make any sense what-so-ever because it had nothing to do with the church. Dumbledore had helped her escape when he knew the truth. Sirius went to Azkaban. Kathy had hidden in Muggle London, using her skills to run both a muggle flowershop and her infamous herb gardens. Few knew she lived there, and even fewer knew that half of their potions ingredients came from her. Imagine Snape's surprise when he realized Sirius Black's older sister had been supplying his potions ingredients for years.  
  
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It was impossible to apparate anywhere around this part of Muggle London; it was simply too crowded. So, Harry walked. Unfortunately, Mary Lindstrom also decided to go out for a stroll. The eighteen-year old had recently traveled to live in London after graduating from Salem Academy in America the previous year, to work for the Daily Profit. The blond haired, blue eyed sprite was a seductively innocent nymph that turned eyes wherever she went, whether they be wizard in ecstasy, witch in jealousy, or muggle in one of the former and curiosity. The girl ached with magic. She simply glowed.  
  
Mary had many attempted suitors, but she accepted none. She had eyes for only Harry Potter. No one else could possibly meet up to her old love, Jimmy Cleisten, killed by Voldemort. So, how could she possibly be more happy when she saw that very man walking down the street? Mary took her chance and strolled casually toward Harry. Unfortunately for her, Harry had been stalked one too many times in his life. He knew damn well he was being followed, but not by who. He slipped quickly out of the crowd and walked into an alley, away from the muggles who had just started their day's shopping.   
  
"Perfect!" Mary muttered, and continued after him. He had just disappeared into the darkness when she entered it. The first thing she saw was a wand directly perpendicular to her nose, and a harsh green-eyed glare behind it that did nothing to counteract his voice.   
  
"Looking for me, girl? And who might you be? More importantly, who sent you? Speak! I've no time for childish games, and if Voldemort has been reduced to trying to gain my aid with whores, then I seriously doubt he would be able to find a trustworthy one." The wand did not move. Mary shifted, startled. "One step and you are out, Miss. If you'd be so kind as to answer my questions?   
  
The girl gulped. "M-my name is... is Mary Lindstrom. I know all about you! You are Harry Potter right? I've always wanted to... meet you." She stuttered out.  
  
"Oh. God damn it, NOT AGAIN!" Harry scowled. "Why do you witches have to chase after me like this? You don't even know me!"   
  
"I know you." Mary said quickly. "And I love you..." With that, she surged forward, shrugging Harry's wand aside, and enveloping the annoyed man in a searing kiss. At first, he simply stood there, trying to decide whether or not he throw her off and on her way. And then, he let himself respond. Let himself pretend that for once, someone really did love him. For who he was, and not what he did. Mary noticed the change instantaneously, and deepened the kiss to a sweltering level. She slid her leg between his thighs, and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
Enough was enough. Harry knew their games. He had been surprised when one of them had first done something like that to him, now, he was just annoyed. 'Oh, I know the real you! I love you! Fuck me!' For Merlin's sake, it was always the same. He shoved her off, taking her wand out of her pocket with him, just in case.  
  
"Yes, yes, that's all very well. Hope you enjoyed your kiss. Have a nice day." He figured she'd probably throw herself at him about now. He was right.  
  
"No! Please! I've always wanted...." Mary trailed off.  
  
"Wanted what, exactly?"  
  
"I've wanted you! I've always wanted you!" She screamed.  
  
"And who am I, Mary?" Harry already knew her answer, but he could hope, at least.  
  
"You're Harry Potter! The Boy-Who-Lived! The man who will defeat Voldemort! You're...."  
  
Harry stopped listening. 'Here we go again. Always the same. This is incredibly irritating...' "As I said, that's all very well. I'll send your wand back when I'm gone."  
  
Mary stared at him, and then checked her pockets. Finding it, indeed, true that her wand was gone she mumbled, "Why? Why won't you let me try? I can be what you need... Am I not good enough?" Tears filled her eyes.   
  
She had really thought she'd loved him. 'How bizarre.' Harry thought. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by the poor deluded girl's silent sobs. What was he to tell her? The answer came to him promptly. What was it that he always heard Malfoy turn girl's down with? Oh, that's right.  
  
"The fact is," He said. "I'm seeing someone."  
  
"Oh..." She burned red, as if walking on someone else's territory. "Wait, the kiss?"  
  
"Was to get your wand. You must understand how careful I have to be. If you do truly know me, you know it's dangerous to be anywhere near me. And I can't exactly get away from myself." He chuckled.  
  
"Of course. I'm sorry." She blushed again, "Who...?"  
  
"Sorry, I can't say. If it got out, they'd be in even more danger." It was true, Harry confirmed. If he started dating someone they'd be in a huge amount of trouble. Both from Voldemort and Harry's fangirls."Right, well... excuse me..."  
  
"Wait!" Mary cried. "Can we be friends then? I swear I won't tell anyone your contact or anything! I just really want to get to know you!"  
  
Harry stared at her. "Very well..." He gave her his second apartment's address. "Only for letters, though. Don't visit." It didn't really matter if the address got out anyway. It was locked under a spell. Only he, the trusted Aurors and Hogwarts teachers, Dumbledore, Hermione, and the Weasleys could see the place, besides owls. And, considering Harry had three different apartments outside Hogwarts, it wouldn't really matter if he needed to drop one and find another.  
  
Mary beamed. "Thank you! I really want to get to know you... I realize I've behaved like quite a fool today..."  
  
"You wouldn't be the first. Don't worry about it." Harry comforted. "See you later." With that, he walked off.   
  
'Well,' Mary thought. 'I met Harry Potter!' Then she slipped the voice recorder out of her bag. Muggle items were wonderful! She replayed Harry's address. The Daily Profit would kill for it! But.... that would be dishonest, and it might put Harry in danger and get her in trouble. Yet, it couldn't hurt to tell the public that he was seeing someone, would it? She suddenly felt a prickling, and watched her wand appear out of thin air in front of her eyes. Willow. 9 1/2 inches. Faerie Imp Hair.   
  
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Harry walked a few blocks before he sent her wand back, untracebly of course. He had to admit that the girl was pretty, if a little on the overbearing side. Ah, well that was over with for now. Sighting Kathy's shop ahead, he scurried forward and into the bright store. Flowers filled the entire front room, but he was more interested in finding Kathy's herbs, and Kathy, of course. He walked over to the the single book case and tapped his wand three times on the book entitled "Herbs for Everyday Life".The bookcase melted away into a doorway, and Harry stepped through.  
  
"Harry!" A pleasant voice called. "How are you doing? And Sirius? Dumbledore? Hermione? The Weasleys? Is school well?"  
  
Harry waited for the throng of questions to end. This scene occurred every time he visited Kathy. She would throw a dozen questions at him, then catch herself and burn red. He would always act as if it never happened.   
  
After a minute or so, Kathy did, indeed, figure out that her mouth had run away and pulled it back with a blush.  
  
"Everyone is doing well Kathy," Harry said. He gazed over her. The woman looked different from Sirius except for a few traits. She and Sirius shared the dead black hair; however, Sirius' had a glossy trait, and Kathy's looked duller, yet very soft. She was short, only about 5'4", and of an average build. She had brilliant blue eyes that shined over Sirius' brown. But, the big difference between the two were their smiles. Sirius had an outright maddening grin, and Kathy had a shy and modest smile. But, no matter how she disliked breaking the rules, she was as ever rebellious as her brother. "It's a Black trait." Sirius had once pointed out when he realized exactly why Kathy was in hiding.  
  
"Hermione and Ron are still dancing around each other on tiptoes. Malfoy is still annoying as hell." Kathy smirked. Harry was beginning to wonder why she always grinned when he mentioned Malfoy... odd. "School is going alright, we only have a few weeks until Easter Break."  
  
"And you?" Kathy asked. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm doing alright," Harry said, grimacing.  
  
"Oh, really." Kathy laughed. "Do tell."  
  
"I was accosted by some foolish girl on the way here, AGAIN."  
  
Kathy chuckled. "You do have the worst luck with running into them, don't you? You should settle down, then they can't have at you."  
  
"Oh, and have them kill my wife? Ha Ha Ha." Harry's sarcastic tone made Kathy note to keep him away from Severus for awhile.  
  
"Well, maybe you could find a... partner... who could protect themselves. After all, women can be weak. The other half of the race---"  
  
"Kathy!" Harry scowled, annoyed. "For once and for all, I AM NOT GAY!"  
  
"And is there something wrong with being gay?" She teased.  
  
"You're grating on my nerves, Kathy." Harry said seriously.  
  
She stopped. 'Well, I didn't think he'd get annoyed that quickly... We usually play around with the idea because of Sirius and Remus.'  
  
"Alright then, so what did you need today? Kathy asked, getting down to business.  
  
"Oh, I've a list here somewhere..." Harry started rummaging through his shoulder bag. "Sirius needs some things, I'm not exactly sure for what. Except he said to ask you 'What is needed to form a potent burn-inflicting salve that appears exactly the same as a burn-healing one? And visa versa.'" He paused there, waiting for an answer, knowing Kathy would, by no means, not have to look in a book.  
  
"Hmmm.... Well Featherleaf, Knoxgrass, leeches, and Cumbernut melted and melded together will make your inflicting one. And by replacing the leeches with lacewings and ginger roots you'll make your healing salve. There are more ingredients in them; I can write it down if you like. But remember, you must use the exact amount of armadillo bile- to the drop!"  
  
Harry nodded in confirmation as she quickly scribbled down the information and handed to Harry, who pocketed it.  
  
"Oh, and Sever-, damn it I still can't get used to going back to calling him 'Professor Snape' aloud, can I?"   
  
"Well, having only one person for company in a dark and dreary dungeon for around 2 months can do that to you." Kathy said warmly. A plot of Voldemort's the previous summer had ended up with Harry and Severus stuck in a hidden dungeon for a little less than 2 months. Voldemort had attacked Harry a week after his return to the Dursley's. Dumbledore finally discovered them 3 days before Harry's 7th year was to start.  
  
"I suppose." Harry said simply. "Anyway, he wants you to supply these ingredients here, and says 'If they look odd, don't ask. I know what I'm doing.' But, hey- that's Snape."  
  
Kathy chuckled and took the list from Harry, reading it though. When she came to a particular herb she tried, very unsuccessfully, so stop a shout of laughter from parting with her lips.  
  
"iDo/i tell me, Kathy, what exactly is on that list that is so hysterical. I'm dieing to rub it in Severus' face that I actually know." Harry grinned.  
  
The herbologist smiled back cheekily, looking more like Sirius by the second. "This one, here, " She pointed to an item on this list. "Canterroot. It only has one use." Harry prodded her to go on. "Which is to, ah.... increase one's sexual awareness." Harry bit his lip to prevent the mad laughter that would be spilling from his mouth very soon. "One wonders, ahem, what exactly our Potions Master, prude of the century, iSeverus Snape/i, when never known to EVER have a girlfriend, could have want with this particular, eh, can we call it an ingredient? It works quite well when just boiled with water."  
  
Harry gave up and doubled over laughing.  
  
"Ah, but wait Harry! There's more.... Glossfly wings: They're usually only used by wizards to increase the size of ones... shall we say, equipment?" Kathy giggled.  
  
"Oh, this is so cruel!" Harry gasped, clutching his side.  
  
"Would you have it any other way?"  
  
"No, I suppose not... Read on, fair lady!"   
  
Kathy chortled at the title, and fixed her silver-rimmed reading glasses. "Alright. Hmm..... Catchhawk larynx? What on earth would he want with that?! And you'd have to kill the blessed plant to get it." She gestured to the petite plant near-by. It looked an awful lot like a Muggle's Venus Fly Trap. Harry studied the name. Catchhawk. He swallowed, wondering how far the little plant could open its mouth. Harry decided not to bother finding out.  
  
"Habitual Crafle?! Even bI/b don't have any of those! I don't live in Iceland, dammit." Seeing Harry's clueless look, Kathy hastened to explain. "They're extremely rare little devils, being that every part of them is a complete cure-all. They only grow in Iceland, cost about 1500 Galleons a piece, and are wanted by every Potion maker, Herbologist, and magical-person in general, all over the world. I believe Dumbledore has one..."  
  
"What do they look like? Harry questioned suspiciously. The area was so full of plants, he doubted that there couldn't be at least ione/i of them here somewhere.  
  
"What Muggle's call 'clover', except purple and about 3 feet high. In old times they made excellent chairs before their uses were observed. They feed off of frost, so are constantly laced with it. Very hard to miss." She added the last to Harry's roving eye. "Clover is actually a descendant from it. However, we aren't sure how that came to be."  
  
"Maca-Peru[1]? That's easy enough. I wonder what he'll do with it." Kathy then hopped up and went scampering around the rooms hunting for the plants on the list. "Although, unless he's suddenly decided to go on a diet, I see no reason for the food-nutritive."  
  
Harry looked up from where he was collecting Nettles, grinning evilly. "Ah, but I've got you there. Maca is an energizer that increases stamina and endurance."  
  
"How could I have forgotten?" Kathy cried, laughing. "It seems Severus does, indeed, have a secret lover."  
  
"And OH how I will taunt him about it!" Harry snickered. "Did you notice the Sinicuichi[2] on there? Whatever could Severus want with Hallucination- inducing herbs? I for one was sure that he had no thoughts of taking up divination."  
  
Their laughter and talk continued in this form for several hours, before all of the ingredient on the list were collected (the ones that could be supplied) and Kathy wrote a note to Severus, that looks quite a bit like this:  
  
iSeverus Snape:  
  
I have supplied the ingredients you have requested. I have also followed your instructions not to ask about the sexual heightening, hallucination-inducing, and diet-characterizing, along with all the other extremely surprising plants. I hope you don't mind me mentioning their uses to Harry; I was sure it would be an ideal learning experience for him considering his upcoming NEWTs.The following is a list of the herbs and plants I do not have, and the means of getting them that I know of:  
  
  
  
Habitual Crafle.................................... Madame Clast/Herbologist/Iceland  
  
It continued in vain for some time.  
  
  
  
I trust everything is well, and you aren't keeping any hysterically obvious secrets from us. The ingredients should be acceptable. If you have problems, send an owl or a Potter to visit me. Don't be too hard on Sirius and the kids!  
  
All the Best,  
  
K. Karliana/i  
  
Harry thanked Kathy and promised he would, indeed, torture Severus and give her utmost details. Then, shifting his Muggle clothes, he grinned and strode out of the store, where he proceeded to be overrun by 3 teenage girls. He almost cursed them before realizing they were muggles. It was actually rather fun to be liked simply because the girls thought he was cute. But, alas, in the end he just collected their names and phone numbers (for no actual reason other than to appease them) and strode off to the Leakey Cauldron. There, he apparated to Hogwarts, given that he had be allowed his license by Dumbledore and the Ministry for his safety. Plus, he'd been doing it accidentally since grade school- may as well legalize it.  
  
Harry had arrived back at school and checked in with his headmaster, before a scream of rage sought his name through the Floo Network. 'Ah,' Harry thought. 'It seems he has received Kathy's letter.'  
  
AN:Most of the ingredients were randomly made up by me, however I found these two at their respective sites. I had great fun tormenting Snape, let's see if that continues....  
  
[1]. http://www.shamansgarden.com/MACA-PERU.html  
  
[2].http://www.shamansgarden.com/sinicuichi.html  
  
Tell me what you guys think, should I continue? I hope so because the next section is great! Please send me a review, alright? And I'd love to have someone proof read for me if anyone is interested!.  
  
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